Abstract
Angelica sinensis root is one of the herbs most commonly used in China; it is also often included in dietary supplements for menopause in Europe and North America. In the present study, we examined the anti-osteoporotic effects of A. sinensis extract in an ovariectomized (OVX) rat model of osteoporosis as well as toxicity of the extract after repeated oral administration. The OVX rats were treated with 17β-estradiol (10 μg/kg i.p. once daily) or A. sinensis extract (30, 100, and 300 mg/kg, p.o. once daily) for four weeks. The bone (femur) mineral density (BMD) of rats treated with the extract (300 mg/kg) was significantly higher than that of the OVX-control, reaching BMD of the estradiol group. Markers of bone turnover in osteoporosis, serum alkaline phosphatase, collagen type I C-telopeptide and osteocalcin, were significantly decreased in the extract group. The body and uterus weight and serum estradiol concentration were not affected, and no treatment-related toxicity was observed during extract administration in rats. The results obtained indicate that A. sinensis extract can prevent the OVX-induced bone loss in rats via estrogen-independent mechanism.
Highlights
IntroductionAngelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels. (Chinese Angelica root; Danggui) has been used as a traditional
Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels. (Chinese Angelica root; Danggui) has been used as a traditionalChinese Medicine (TCM) with a long history of use in China
In the present study we examined the anti-osteoporotic effects of A. sinensis extract in an OVX-induced osteoporosis rat model and the toxicity of A. sinensis extract after repeated oral administration
Summary
Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels. (Chinese Angelica root; Danggui) has been used as a traditional. Pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) are well known regulators of bone metabolism. These cytokines are known as highly potent bone resorption cytokines [8,9,10,11] which can mediate increased bone turnover markers [12]. From the above reports it is hypothesized that the anti-inflammatory action of A. sinensis extract [13,14,15] might have potential anti-osteoporotic effects in an animal model via inhibition of bone turnover markers. Serum estradiol concentration was determined by a radioimmunoassay (RIA). Automatic analyzer was used for serum biochemical determination of following parameters: aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), glucose (GLU), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), creatinine (CRE), and total protein (TP)
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